Spintires [PC] review

[VR46]

Yes I have spelt the name right!

Was totally unaware of this title until reading the glowing Eurogamer review last week. Seems to be getting good reviews across the board, there was a beta/demo about a year ago I think.

I’m not going to go in to massive detail as the couple of review links at the bottom of this post do that, and I've quoted a bit of one of them below, but it’s quite an obscure driving game where you drive massive trucks through all sorts of terrain with the main point being getting your truck and cargo from A to B rather than how quickly you do it. Never has mud been so greatly recreated! Plenty of settings to tinker with and hopefully updates and additions to follow - as well as an in-cab view which there isn't yet.

Visually it looks great with the detail levels ramped up, can be played with keyboard, controller and PC 360 pad I believe.

Starts off easy enough, just take your time and care, then the fun begins, no F1 like handling in these massive Soviet trucks so planning ahead is a must.

?17 from Amazon for a physical copy or twenty quid on Steam I think.





More detailed info in these two reviews.

Have you ever dreamed of driving an old truck through a rugged Russian wilderness? Then dream no more, because Spintires is here. It could only exist on PC—a simulator so niche it makes Munich Bus Simulator look mainstream—and sees you guiding an array of Soviet off-road vehicles across large stretches of unforgiving countryside. It’s a grueling battle against the elements as you navigate your lump of rusty metal around rickety wooden bridges, dense forests, and swollen rivers.

But the real star of the game is the mud. It is, without a doubt, the best virtual sludge in games. The way your tires dig into it, and the way it deforms realistically as you move through it, is really impressive. The heavier your vehicle is, the more it sinks into it, and the more likely you are to get stuck. Clumps gather on your wheels as you drive, and some areas are so caked in the stuff that you’ll be forced to find another route. It’s a game of feet, not miles—of dragging your bouncy flatbed through just one more exhausting mire of mud and rocks to reach the safety of a garage or refueling station.

But you will get stuck, eventually, and that’s where vehicle-switching comes into play. There are simple objectives, like picking up and delivering lumber, but it’s the journey itself where the real challenge lies, and you’ll need some help to heave your oversized load across the uncompromising landscape. After accidentally burying my lumber truck in a thick slurry, I pulled the map up with F1, switched to a nearby truck with a winch and yanked myself out. You can jump freely between vehicles on your own if you’re playing solo, or team up with up to three other people in multiplayer.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-17-spintires-features-trucks-with-soul

http://www.pcgamer.com/review/spintires-review/

[Baseley09]

Looks cool, I like the film Sorcerer and this has echos of that.

[wakka]

Lol this sounds great. I'd like to see a sequel where you can stalk initially unsuspecting road users, Duel-style.

[VR46]

It is fun, and really does make you think strategy wise.

Duel was great, for an 80's low budget suspense film. Must watch it again at some point.